Dress-form



3 SheetsSheet 1. G. F. PERKINS 82: G. S. GOODING. DRESS FORM (No Model.)

Pzatefited Nov. 17, 1891.

o h 1/47/41 W \A/ITN ESSESI;

INVENTU RSI \W/ J- W (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. P. PERKINS & O. S. GOODING.

DRESS FORM.

No. 463,343. Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

INVEN'T'EI F\S1I G44, 9%

WITNESSES (No Model.) 3 Sh eetsSheet' 3. O. P. PERKINS & G. S. GOODING..

DRESS FORM.

Patented Nov. 17,1891.

TNESSESII WW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cHARLES F. PERKINS AND oHARLEs s. GOODING, OF nRooHLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRESS-FORM.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,343, datedNovember 17, 1891.

Application filed November 29, 1890. Serial No. 373,016. (No model.)

to a central standard or post by means of hinged or pivoted braces. Thefour ribs as combined correspond tothe general shape of a ladys dress.They may be used for the entire dress or for the waist or skirtseparately. The inner ends of these braces are pivoted to collars on thestandard and their outer ends are connected with the sections or ribs.The outer extremities of the braces are so shaped T that when the bracesare in the position required for actual use they will not becomedetached from the ribs, but may be disconnected by throwing them into anunusual position such as they do not occupy when in use. By thisconstruction the ribs may be readily disconnected from the braces forthe purpose of transportation, and as the ears upon the ribs with whichthe braces are connected project but slightly from the inside surface ofthe ribs the ribs may be nested or packed closely one with the other, sothat several complete forms will occupy no more space in transportationthan formerly was occupied by one. The kind of dress-form to whichourinvention especially relates is that which is composed of only foursections. Heretofore forms of this kind have been crated one at a timeand the expense of transportation has been greatly disproportionate tothe price of the article.

There are many forms of mechanism in which our invention may beembodied, and we do not limit ourselves to the precise means which wehave herein. shown to illustrate it.

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the upper portion of a form containingour invention. Fig. 2 is a Vertical section of a form for an entiredress embodying our invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a formfor a dresstion to disconnect them from the ribs.

upward.

Waist, showing our invention. tical section of a form for a dress-skirt,showing modifications of the lower braces employed in Fig. 3. Fig. 5shows the braces in a posi- Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the hookedends of the braces and the ears on the ribs, with which they areconnected.

bined with a separate skirt-form. The waist and skirt of Fig. 7 areconsidered as two distinct forms, although they may be The waist andskirt portions of the form shown in Fig. 2 cannot; be used separately,and we treat them as oneused together, as shown.

Fig. 4 is a ver- Fig.7 shows a separate waist-form embodying ourinvention con1-- by like letters, with the exception of those shown inFig. 4, where the formal difference in the .construction of those partsis represented.

A is a post or standard fitted into a socket V, supported on feet or inany suitable way. The height of the post may be regulated by thevertical adjustment of the collar thereon.

B B are four longitudinal sections of a dressforin, each possessing suchshape that when suitably arranged together they bear the general shapeof a ladys dress.

0 is a grooved collar, pinned or fixed to the standard, upon which is acollar D free to revolve, to which are hinged bifurcated braces E,extending to each section or rib B of the form. The outer ends of thebraces form hooks, the points of which are directed toward the post orstandard when the braces E incline upwardly, as in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

WVhen the braces E incline downwardly, as in Fig. 5, the points of thehooks are directed In this latter position they can be inserted into theholes in the ears F on the ribs of the form when said ribs are in avertical position; but when the braces are restored to the positionshown in Figs. 2, 3, and at and incline upwardly it is obvious thattheirhooks cannot be entered into or removed r in Fig. 5.

'quired size.

from the ears. lVhen the form is in use, the

braces E always incline upwardly and there is no occasion for or in anyother.

Pivoted to a collar G, free to revolve on a vertically-adjustablegrooved collar II, is a series of braces K, which are pivoted to thebraces E, and which incline at such an angle with reference to thebraces E that they prevent a collapse of the form.

To detach the ribs from the braces the set-- screw N in the collar Hshould be released and the latter pushed down upon the standard untilthe braces E assume the position shown Each rib can be then unhookedfrom the braces E by lifting it slightly, and can be unhooked from thelower braces L by throwing the top of the rib outwardly until the wholerib is in a horizontal position, or by raising the rib to a height whichwill cause the braces L to incline upward. To set up the form theoperation is reversedthat is to say, the ribs are first hooked upon thelower braces L, then upon the upper braces E, and then the collar H israisedand returned to its first position.

The size of the form is varied by a vertical adjustment of the collarsto which the braces are pivoted; but it will be observed that at themaximum expansion of the form the hooks are in a position which willprevent a disconnection of the ribs from the braces.

The adjustment of the upper portion is obtained by raising or loweringthe collar H, thereby spreading the sections or ribs 13 apart more orless, as may be required. A spiral spring M is provided between thecollars H and D to overcome the weight of the ribs, in case thethumb-screw N is not set against the post. This a mere detail to guardagainst the results of carelessness of the operator.

The arrangement of opposing braces E and K locks the neck portion at anygiven size, in connection with which a single series of braces, such asL, placed in a lower portion of the form, will adjust the entire form atany re- \Ve do not claim any particular form of lower braces and meansfor operating them. There are" many varieties in use. A nut P, havingbraces L pivoted to it and operated by a screw-thread on the standard,as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, is one well-known mode of construction.Another form consists of a sliding collar R, set-collar S, and braces T,as shown in Fig. 4. In all these arrangements the essential feature isthe construction of the outer ends of the braces, so that they may bereadily connected to and detached from the ribs without any liability ofseparating from them when the form is in use. It is obvious that thebraces which connect with the ribs, either at the upper portion orelsewhere, may be made to incline either upwardly or downwardly when inuse. If the direction is changed from that shown in the drawings, thehook must of course be formed in the reverse direction. If, forinliability of their being stance, the braces E should be made toincline downwardly when in use,'the hook would be formed by bending thepoint downward instead of upward, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

There are also several varieties of opposing pivoted braces in use whichare well-known equivalents for those herein shown, and may besubstituted therefor without affecting the principle of my invention.There is in use a class of dress-forms in which the braces to which theribs are secured extend and swing from the standard in a horizontalplane in stead of a vertical plane, as shown in the drawings, and towhich our invention may be applied.

Vhen applying our invention to a waistform to be used in connection witha separate skirt-form, as shown in Fig. 7, we recommend that the ribs bemade of sufficient length to extend below the waistband, as shown, so asto admit of variation in the length of the waist by raising or loweringit upon the standard. which will adapt it to persons of (litterentfigures.

Any form of construction of the braces and the ears or parts to whichthey are connected on the ribs, whereby the relative positions of theparts when in use tend to prevent the disconnection of the ribs from thebraces, but whereby they may be disconnected by forcing the parts intoother positions, is coveredby our invention.

e are aware that dress-forms have been made in sections, said sectionsbeing supported from a sleeve movable 011 a central standard by means ofarmshinged to the sleeves and to the sections, and do not claim suchdevice.

It is characteristic of our improvement that the connection of thebraces with the sections is such that they are not normally detachable,but such that they can be readily detached without other change than asimple adjustment or arrangement of the relative position of the bracesand dress-form sections, said adjustment being preferably one not withinthe range of ordinary adjustments for practical use.

\Vhat we claim as our invention is-- 1. A dress-form consisting ofseveral longitudinal sections B, corresponding to the shape ofa ladysdress, combined with a post and a collar thereon and with a series ofarms or braces E, having their inner ends pivoted to a collar on saidpost and having their outer ends provided with hooks adapted to fit intoears F upon the said sections, the points of said hooks being directedtoward the post and non-detachable when the form is in an operativeposition and adapted to be turned into a removable position by movingthe braces to an abnormal position on their pivoted connections with thestandard, substantially as set forth. I

2. The combination of a central post A, a series of sections B of adress-form supported upon said post by a series of braces E, pivoted attheir inner ends to a collar D thereon, said braces being provided withhooks at their outer ends, the points of Which hooks are (lirectedtoward the post and non-detachable when the form is in operativeposition and adapted to be turned in a removable position by moving thebraces to an abnormal position 'on. their pivoted connections with thepost,

said hooks fitting into ears F upon said sections, and a second seriesof braces K, pivoted at their inner ends to a collar G on the post, saidbraces K being pivoted at their outer ends to said braces E, one of saidcollars being adjustable upon the post A and both provided with meansfor fixing them thereto, substantially as set forth.

3. A dress-form composed of several sections B and supported upon acentral post A by means of two series of braces E and L, one above theother, the outer ends of each series of braces being provided with hooksfitting into ears upon the said sections, said hooks beingnon-detachable when the form is-in operative position and adapted to beturned in a removable position by moving the braces to an abnormalposition ontheir pivoted connections with the post, the inner ends ofsaid braces being pivoted to collars D and P, respectively, combinedwith a third series of braces K, pivoted at their outer ends to thebraces E and at their inner ends to the collar G, all 01' said collarsbeing adjustable upon the post and capable of being fixed thereto in anydesired relation to each other, substantially as set forth.

' CHASJF. PERKINS. CHAS. S. GOODING. Witnesses:

CHAS. H. DREW,- ANToN W. LYMAN.

